1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an anastomosing instrument that is introduced into a body cavity via the channel of an endoscope.
This application is based on Japanese Patent Application No. 2003-162009, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.
2. Description of the Related Art
Procedure instruments that are inserted into a body cavity and are for suturing biological tissue in order to accomplish hemostasis, for example, are conventionally known. These types of procedure instruments have a puncture needle that can pass through biological tissue, and have a design wherein a suture pull-out preventing tip and fixture are housed in order from the end of the puncture needle (See Japanese Utility Model Application, Second Publication No. 59-21775 (page 3, FIGS. 14 and 23)).
In this kind of procedure instrument, the puncture needle is passed through two biological tissues that are to be anastomosed, and the pull-out preventing tip is pushed out from the puncture needle first. The fixture is subsequently pushed out of the puncture needle once the puncture needle is pulled out from the two biological tissues. Finally, the suture material is pulled, anastomosing the two biological tissues, which are then held with the fixture. As examples of fixtures, devices have been disclosed that house a tapered elastic fastening member inside a member having a tapered cavity, and hold the suture by means of the frictional force between these two members.